Hearty Chicken Stew (Paleo, Gluten Free)
Recipe Key
Savory, delicious and filling – what more could you ask for on a cold winter night? This 1-pot stew is a healthy comfort food recipe your whole family will love! Leftovers heat well for lunch the next day too. Paleo and gluten free with an option for AIP and low carb.
Lots of snow here in New York. It was fun making a snowman with Avery. We needed a nice warm stew to warm us up.
This stew is comfort in a bowl.
Savory mushrooms, tender sweet potatoes, earthy turnips, velvety zucchini and juicy chicken thighs combine in a rich broth. It’s nourishment for the body, mind and soul. I love this Hearty Chicken Stew!
This cozy 1-pot stew begins with sautéing the chicken until nicely brown. There is lots of protein here! For best results use boneless, skinless, chicken thighs. They have extra flavor after searing and also simmer into tender morsels.
Next comes a generous amount of mushrooms. I use cremini for a rich mushroom flavor and hearty texture. Onions, celery and carrots are sautéed to bring out their natural sweetness and infuse the broth with flavor
Rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, salt, pepper, garlic, and tomato paste bring deep flavors to the broth. The combination is delicious!
Potatoes bring comfort and nourishment. I use a combination of sweet and Yukon gold potatoes (substitutions below). Turnips and zucchini add texture and fiber.
Tapioca flour thickens the broth just enough to make it the ultimate comfort food.
This classic stew is simmered on the stovetop so it does take awhile, but it’s easy and low maintenance.
After simmering the mixture the potatoes become tender and the flavors all meld together.
Tips for Making Hearty Chicken Stew
- Cut the mushrooms in half if large, leave them whole if small. When cooked they reduce in size.
- Cut the sweet potatoes into large chunks.
- Cut the Yukon gold potatoes, turnips and zucchini into large cubes, just a little smaller than the sweet potatoes.
- Don’t overcook the vegetables, you want them to maintain their shape and texture.
Substitutions
This is a versatile recipe and can be made with less carbs and can be AIP compliant.
Yukon gold potatoes are nice and creamy in this stew. If you want less carbs or for AIP use additional white turnips instead of the Yukon gold potatoes. When choosing turnips, look for the smallest ones available. Parsnips can also be substituted.
Sweet potatoes are deliciously sweet but if you prefer less carbs butternut squash can be substituted. It has a nice sweet taste but much less carbs than sweet potatoes.
Tomato paste can be left out for AIP or any reason you don’t eat tomatoes. The stew will still be delicious.
Cremini mushrooms give a deep rich flavor but plain white mushrooms can be substituted.
It’s the perfect meal for chilly days either on its own or paired with Gluten Free Seed Bread or Gluten Free Golden Sandwich Bread. With 30 grams protein per serving, plus plenty of comforting potatoes and vegetables, this soup provides nourishment for the body, mind and soul!
More Comforting Stews
Moroccan Vegetable Tagine with Greens
One Pot Winter Vegetable Lentils
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PrintHearty Chicken Stew (Paleo, Gluten Free)
This 1-pot stew is a healthy comfort food recipe. Savory, delicious and filling. Perfect for a cold night.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Stew, Dinner, Lunch
- Cuisine: Paleo, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Whole30 option, AIP option
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 pounds chicken thighs cut into 1 1/2″ pieces
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil, ghee or avocado oil
- 16 ounces cremini mushrooms, cut in half or left whole if small
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into rounds, about 1 cup
- 3 stalks celery sliced, about 1 cup
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 1/2 Tablespoons tapioca flour
- 4 cups chicken bone broth
- 1 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary or 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cups sweet potatoes cut into large chunks
- 1 cup Yukon gold potatoes cut into large pieces
- 1 cup white turnips, peeled and cut into medium chunks (choose small turnips)
- 2 cups zucchini, cut into medium chunks
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh thyme or parsley leaves for garnish
- Balsamic vinegar for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season all over with sea salt and black pepper.
- In a large stock pot over medium/high heat, heat the oil. Add the chicken and sear until brown, 4 minutes on each side, adjusting the heat as necessary.
- Remove the chicken from the pot.
- Add the mushrooms, turn down to medium low, cover and cook until the mushrooms release their liquid, stirring frequently, scraping the brown bits at the bottom of the pan, about 5 minutes.
- Add the onions, carrots, and celery, stir and cook for 3-5 minutes.
- Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes, careful not to burn.
- Add tomato paste and tapioca flour and stir to coat the veggies.
- Stir in the broth.
- Add the rosemary, thyme and bay leaves and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer at medium-low heat. Cover and simmer until, about 20 minutes to develop the flavors.
- Add the potatoes, sweet and gold, and chicken and simmer 10 minutes more.
- Then add in the turnips and zucchini and continue to simmer 5-10 more minutes, until potatoes and vegetable are just tender.
- Taste to adjust salt and pepper.
- Discard bay leaves and garnish with fresh thyme or parsley and a splash of balsamic if desired before serving.
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Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days the taste is even better the next day. You can store it in the freezer for up to 1 month.